Daily Republican., 1887-04-18

A RomOnstrance
The following petition was indus
triously circulated in this city las,
Saturday and yesterday and was siened
by quite large number. 1t was taken
TO Dover this morning for the purpose
OF being presented TO the Senate, who.
10 Is expected, will take action on the
Street aud Saver Commission bill to.
day and tomorrow. The Citizens Com
mittee also went TO Dover to day to ad
vocate the passage of the bill:
the undersigned, citizens and tax
payers, residing In the city Of Whining.
ton, show as follows:
THAT the House bili 800 entitled "An
act in relation to the streets and se ewers
Of the city of Wilmington. which
passed the Hose on April IL, 1887, and
| IL now before the Senate, seeks to place
la the hands OF three men, removed
from the people, aud not even to be
elected by them, the entire jurisdiction
and control of the streets and sewers OF
this city; with the right to leaislate
and make laws and rules for the use
and occupation thereof, thus practi
oally setting up an Independent com
bined legislative and executive body,
without responsibility to either the
Legislative or executive branches OF our
city government, and without that re.
lsponsibility to the people which the
pres ,nt City Council 10 and always has
been under.
"This bill purports, as We are in.
formed and believe, TO put these com
missi onsrs in the place of the Council
80 that they, and not the Council, shall
hereafter make all laws, rules and or
Idinances, and execute all contracts re-
I lating 10 the use and occupation OF a
strset-say what streets shall be opened,
when and where, where and how
paved, to change and alter the grades OF
the streets, to control the liz hting there.
iof, by whom and how, to grant the
right to use the street by railroad
oompanies and others. and to allow
rail way tracks to run in q street, or to
cross streets at grade, or otherwise; to
abolish street markets; TO establish n
sewer system and lay sewers. making
their use compulsory, and fixing abso.
lutely the charges for their use, to con
denim and dispose OF (without the com.
pensatiOn as IL sppears that Council
would have to pay) private drains and
sewers, permission to lay which has
been granted By the Council and by
numerous acts of the Legislature; and
generally to have solely and alone full
aud entire control and jurisdiction over
| the streets and sewers Of the city, the
necessary and legitimate legislation
and work In and about which consti-
tutes very nearly all the business COM
ing before Council.
1--WE believe the bill 10 bo imperfect,
that 1t would be imperative, and while
attended with much needless expense.
would also cause great dea! OF litiga.
tlon aud trouble.
1--WE desire the mem bers OF the Leg
islature tn be thoroughly informed
about this, and to appreciate the mag
nitude and scope Of the provisions OF
this bill, which has been introduced at
the close OF the session, without having
the time needed for its consolidation,
and the provisions OF which have MOI:
appeared In the newspapers until the
l4th instant, after the bill had passed
the House; bill which overturDs the
Legislation OF many years, both OF tho
Legislature and of the Council.
I'VE respectfully petition that the
bill may not bscome o law; or at least
that it be 30 amended as obviously It
requires, and that under no circum
stances it become law until voted on
and accepted by the citizens Of VIII.
mingtou."
The K. l.. Martin Democratic Club
! have passed the following in referenc CO
| to the bill, and copies have been sent TO
Dover:
WHEREAS, The bill creating Street
and Sewer Commission for the city OF
Wilmington, which passed the House
/ n n A nril 10 1877
aud is now before the Senate, takes
away from the people the right to select
the persons who are TO expend their
money; and
WHEREAS, This bill gives to these
three commissioners unlimited power
over our streets-the right TO fix or alter
grades, to give the right to railroad
companies to use the streets for railroad
purposes, the right to abolish street
markets and the entire and exclusive
control and jurlsdtc ion over our streets
and sewers; therefore be 1t
Resolved, That tho e. l. Martin
Dem ocratic Club do most earnestly re-
quest tho S5nate TO 80 am 9ni the bill rs
TO allow our citizens To vote on she sail
bill before the came can become law.
A. j. SHERRY. President.
Attest: Jas. Gagan, Secretary.
AT tbs same mssting the following
was also adopted:
WHEREAS, There ha1 besn intro
duced In the General Assembly OF cur
State bin TO revo.utiouize the laws
governing Ou- City elections; and
WHEREAS, We believe the changes
proposed by said bill are Injurious
rather than bene joial, and tnat the
present law is suilicient TO secure pure
and honest elections; therefore be it
Resolved, That the II L. Martin
Democratic Club do most earnestly
protest against cEe passage OF the afore-
said bill.
Resolved. That copy of 'hese reso.
lutions be sert 10 the Senate and House
Of Representatives.
A. j. SHERRY, President.
Attest: JAS. GAGAN, Secretary.